


Your taste in music is shit.

by Lesbevian



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:06:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25695511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lesbevian/pseuds/Lesbevian
Summary: Unfortunately for Mark’s anonymity however, the teacher wasn’t deaf, and his deskmate was the loudest person he had ever met. Lee Donghyuck fell more into the “delinquents” section of Johnny’s back of the class characteristics. Not that he frequently broke rules, or got shitty grades, he just didn’t know how to shut up. Which to Mark, was the worst possible personality trait for someone he would have to sit next to at 8:30 in the morning. So on that Monday, he was overjoyed at the fact that Donghyuck wasn’t in class. He pulled his hoodie over his head, put in his headphones, and relaxed.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 7
Kudos: 116





	Your taste in music is shit.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Quick content warning, there is a dinner scene in this in which all characters are eating. If food triggers you I suggest reading with caution <3  
> \--  
> Also! This work mentions a playlist! The playlist can be found here https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3yyVIL7A75mGwaAPbNxprK?si=kPOCtYV9SzmQtP71YGReug

Mark Lee didn’t have many friends. Halfway through his senior year, he found himself sitting in AP chem all alone. He had always tagged along with his older brother Johnny’s friends. Unfortunately for Mark’s so-called social life, they all graduated last year. On that Monday, he was thankful to be alone. His desk was all the way in the back of the class, in- to quote johnny -the delinquents and loners section. He liked it in the back. The teacher was old, probably nearing her mid eighties. Her eyesight was fleeting, but for some reason she refused to get new glasses. He could put on his headphones, throw his hood up, and take a nap whenever he wanted. He didn’t really care about the class anyways, Johnny had made the mistake of never throwing away a single worksheet throughout his highschool career, so Mark had a perfect review sheet at home. He could pass through the nearly blind teacher’s class easily, and get in an extra hour of sleep every day.

Unfortunately for Mark’s anonymity however, the teacher wasn’t deaf, and his deskmate was the loudest person he had ever met. Lee Donghyuck fell more into the “delinquents” section of Johnny’s back of the class characteristics. Not that he frequently broke rules, or got shitty grades, he just didn’t know how to shut up. Which to Mark, was the worst possible personality trait for someone he would have to sit next to at 8:30 in the morning. So on that Monday, he was overjoyed at the fact that Donghyuck wasn’t in class. He pulled his hoodie over his head, put in his headphones, and relaxed.

Mark’s Monday morning tranquility was unfortunately cut short. Donghyuck’s voice shattered the music in his headphones like an opera singer destroying a wine glass. How one person could have so much energy that early was a gift unbestowed to Mark. Donghyuck looked the same as he always did. His brown messenger bag was slung over one shoulder, his jeans looked like they had gone through a shredder, and his tee shirt had the name of some band that Mark didn’t know. Something was different today though, it wasn’t his mood of course, as his bright smile was plastered across his cheeks like usual. Mark studied Donghyuck as if he was a statue and Mark was preparing for an art history exam. He could have sworn he had every curve and every inch of the nuisance committed to memory. Until he moved his gaze up to his hair. It had been dyed a bright purple, a perfect match for his personality.

“Morning Mrs.Kim! What d’you think?” He asked their teacher slyly, tipping himself forward and motioning to his hair. It was curled lightly, framing his face. The old woman he asked was clearly not having it however, as she pointed to his seat. “Tough crowd.” Donghyuck muttered as he practically skipped to the back of the room. He slammed himself down in his seat, his chair rolling into Mark. Donghyuck reached a hand up and pulled out one of Mark’s earbuds, shoving it into his own ear. Self Care by Mac Miller rang through both of their ears. The melancholic melody was what Mark had decided the soundtrack to his monday morning would be. Donghyuck glared at him.

“What?” Mark asked, his voice raspy from not having spoken much yet, “Do you not like it?”

“Gimme your phone.” Donghyuck whispered. Mark slid his phone across the desk, Donghyuck began typing something into spotify. Within seconds a vibrant song rang in their minds. Donghyuck bobbed his head along to the music, Mark watched as he methodically began to search for songs and curate a playlist. Honestly, Mark had never heard of half the artists in the playlist. When Donghyuck slid the phone back he looked for the name of the song they were listening to.”Ringtone - 100 Gecs” He would never admit it, afraid of giving Donghyuck the satisfaction, but it was really good.

“Mrs. Kim, Mark and Donghyuck are on their phones!” A girl a few rows ahead of them shouted, shooting her hand into the air. Within moments, they both trudged up to the front of the room and handed Mrs. Kim their phones. As punishment, they had to hand out the worksheets for today. Looking down at the worksheet Mark began to read the instructions.

_“AP Chemistry Midterm Assessment Project, APCMAP. For this assignment, you will partner with your deskmate and create a presentation about an element of your choice. The project must be completed outside of class, and must be finished in order to present by Friday. This will count for 25% of your overall grade. Details of the APCMAP’s necessary contents on Page 2.”_

The words rang in Mark’s mind. Deskmate, outside of class. His worst nightmare was coming true, for the first time since they met he would have to spend more than an hour a day with Lee Donghyuck.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mark’s mom was overjoyed. Finally, her youngest son was getting friends of his own. Despite the fact that Mark had assured her multiple times that one, Donghyuck was barely even a friend and nothing more, and that two he was just coming over to work on a project, Mrs. Lee insisted on Donghyuck joining them for a family dinner. At 6:03, the doorbell rang. Mrs.Lee and her son raced to the door, but unfortunately for Mark his mother had been just a bit closer. Donghyuck looked the same as earlier, but different once again. He was wearing the exact same outfit, his hair was the same, but something had changed again. For a moment Mark thought it was his eyes, but he brushed away the thought. Why would he have noticed Donghyuck’s eyes earlier, it was probably just that the lighting in the school was shitty. Donghyuck greeted Mrs. Lee with a smile, before sitting down for dinner.

“So Donghyuck, how do you and Mark know each other?” Mrs. Lee asked, halfway through the meal. Donghyuck had been eating painfully slowly, as had Mrs. Lee. In comparison, Mark had practically been shoveling his food down his throat.

“Just from school,” Donghyuck replied, covering his mouth with his napkin as he spoke. “To be honest, I really don’t know much about him aside from the fact that his brother is the one who spray painted the locker room last year.” Mrs. Lee’s eyes went wide. Mark stared at Donghyuck. “Was I not supposed to mention that, did she not know?” Donghyuck asked. Mark sighed, shaking his head slowly.

“Excuse me for one moment.” Mrs. Lee stood up and walked over to grab her cell phone. Johnny was most likely about to get the worst phone call of his life, all thanks to Donghyuck. Mark looked back to Donghyuck. He was eating quickly, almost grotesquely. Mark had already finished, so he simply walked his plate over to the sink. By the time he looked back at Donghyuck, his plate was empty.

“We’ll be in my room.” Mark yelled, his words fell on deaf ears as his mother screamed at Johnny over the phone. The pair practically ran to Mark’s room, finally escaping the awkward conversation. Mark’s room was fairly small, made smaller by the fact that his furniture was obviously too big.

-

By around 7:45 Donghyuck had stretched himself on his stomach across Mark’s bed. His legs were bent up into the air, and his ankles were crossed. Mark wasn’t even facing him, he was sitting at his desk. Mark’s room smelled like vanilla, and Donghyuck felt as if he could stay there forever. The atmosphere was comfortable, and he enjoyed himself. It helped as well that Mark had put on the playlist Donghyuck had made earlier that day. The music rang throughout the four small walls. Mark pencil scraped along his notebook almost melodically as Donghyuck tapped through his phone. He clicked on his groupchat with a few of his friends, his messages from when he was getting ready still lingered.

Truthfully, Donghyuck was excited when the project got announced. Not because he wanted to do more work, but because it meant seeing Mark outside of class. It was obvious that he wasn’t a morning person, so Donghyuck never expected much of him during school. He had made attempts to get Mark to sit with his friends during lunch, or to sit with him at assemblies, but Mark always refused. His headphones were always snugly placed in his ears. Occasionally when the class got silent Donghyuck could hear what Mark was listening to if he leaned close. Always some sad rap song, he was never really surprised. Mark seemed stuck with his one playlist, so Donghyuck was surprised that he had even played the playlist he made for him earlier that day.

As he laid on Mark’s bed, he kicked his legs back and forth in time with the song as he hummed along. It was the same one he had played for Mark earlier in class.

“So, do you like that playlist?” Donghyuck asked, breaking their twenty minutes of not speaking.

“Your taste in music is shit.” Mark stated blandly, “Not really actually, just that you only seem to listen to love songs.” He rolled his eyes, scrolling through the playlist. The different titles swam throughout his mind, recalling the lyrics to all of them. Truthfully, he had been listening to the playlist all day. He had each song committed to heart, and could tell anyone the order of the playlist forwards, backwards, and upside down.

“Maybe I’m just a hopeless romantic” Donghyuck laughed, adding a theatrical tone to his words. He kneeled on Mark’s bed, his posture straight up as he covered his heart with one hand and placed the other to his forehead. Mark mimicked pulling an arrow back in a bow, letting out a small whooshing noise as he pretended to let it go. Donghyuck clutched his chest, falling backwards onto the bed. He stuck a hand into the air, grasping at the atoms filling up the space. “Struck down, by Cupid’s arrow” he choked out, before flopping his arm down and sticking his tongue out.

“Perish.” Mark said, standing up from his desk chair and throwing an eraser at Donghyuck, before the two both collapsed on the bed into a fit of giggles. Maybe it was the fact that it was getting late, or the energetic hyperpop that filled Mark’s room, or just the fact that they enjoyed each other’s company, but they both felt somewhat euphoric. Their minds turned into jelly, and the project completely slipped away from their thoughts. If you had just seen them like this for the first time, there’s no way you would have been able to tell that Mark had dreaded this night.

“Do you really think my music taste is shit?” Donghyuck asked, breaking their gigglefest.

“Only a little.” Mark smirked, teasing Donghyuck. Donghyuck rolled his eyes, taking Mark’s phone which had been connected to his speaker.

“Here, I’ll play the greatest song ever fucking written.” Donghyuck unlocked Mark’s phone easily, he had seen Mark unlock it so many times in class he had his password memorised.

“Watch your language” Mark scowled “My mom is right-” he began, before getting cut off by the song of Donghyuck’s choice. I Just Had Sex by The Lonely Island. They fought over the phone, Mark chasing Donghyuck around his small bedroom as the younger of the two sang along through his laughter.

“It’s not like she’s gonna think anything actually happened, Mark.” Donghyuck said, standing on the bed and holding the phone up in the air.

Mark sighed, taking his chance and tackling Donghyuck. He grabbed the phone from Donghyuck’s hand, who was stunned laying on his back and staring up at Mark’s face. They stayed like that for a moment after the music paused, the air between them thick with tension. Mark stared at Donghyuck, finally realizing what was different about him. He had gold glitter and brown eyeliner on his eyelids. His eyelashes fluttered as his eyes blinked open and closed, highlighting the changes from during the day. Mark’s eyes trailed down to his lips, which were the same pinkish red as earlier, but he had obviously redone it after dinner. Without thinking, Mark leaned down, pressing a kiss to Donghyuck’s lips. Donghyuck draped his arms over Mark’s shoulders, kissing back and linking his hands together.

Unbeknownst to Mark, Donghyuck had been harboring a crush of Mark for the past year. So of course when he finally got invited to Mark’s house, he spent the whole afternoon getting ready. Donghyuck had noticed all the times Mark had stared at him during class, all the times Mark committed every detail of him to memory. Just like the words to every song in the playlist. The same euphoria of their laughter washed over them again, they fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. The euphoria however, was cut short. In no time, the door flung open.

“Donghyuck your ride is-” Mrs. Lee began, before gasping loudly.

Mark and Donghyuck stared at her, breaking their kiss but still in the compromising position. Needless to say, after Donghyuck left, Johnny didn’t end up being the only Lee brother to get yelled at that night. 

**Author's Note:**

> TYSM for reading! Follow me on twt @flnalround if you liked it, comments, kudos, and bookmarks are always appreciated.


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